Red Cross: We need type O blood donors now

Mary Brant of the American Red Cross visited the VillageSoup studio May 17 to talk about the urgent need for type O blood from eligible donors.

The Red Cross has less than a two-day supply of type O blood available for emergency rooms. That's just six units available for every 100,000 people, but at least 14 are needed every day.

While just 7 percent of the U.S. population has type O negative blood, it can be transfused to patients with any blood type and is what hospital staff reach for during emergencies when there isn’t time to determine a patient’s blood type. Type O positive blood is the most transfused blood type, and is also critical in trauma situations.

Spring break schedules are known to decrease blood donations, and schools, including high schools and colleges, begin to host fewer blood drives in late spring as school years end. Because these drives account for about 20 percent of blood donations during the school year, it greatly affects the blood supply.

Donors can make an appointment to give using the Blood Donor app, at RedCrossBlood.org or by calling 800-733-2767.